John G. Trice (1902 - 1923)

Born 12 May 1902 in Hiram, Portage, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Cora Mae (Starlard) Greene — married 27 Jul 1922 (to Oct 1923) in Monroe, Michigan, United States

Died 8 Oct 1923 at age 21 in Ames, Story, Iowa, United States

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Biography

Jack Trice is Notable.

John G. Trice was an American college football player who became the first African-American athlete for Iowa State College. He is the namesake for Jack Trice Stadium, Iowa State's football stadium.

John G. “Jack” Trice was born 12 May 1902 in Hiram, Ohio, the son of Green Trice, a former Buffalo Soldier, and Anna Wilcoxson.

He attended East Technical High School, Cleveland, Ohio, and Iowa State College. Jack, 19, married Cora Mae Starland, 15, in 1922. Jack was the first African American to play football for Iowa State. He played tackle and was severely injured while playing his first away game, at Minnesota on 6 October 1923. Jack was knocked down during a play, and other players trampled over his abdominal area. Many believe he was intentionally injured, causing his death. Jack’s death captured the hearts of college students of the day. Decades later, ISU became the only 1-A school to honor an African-American in a stadium name. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}

In 1910, the Trices lived on East Center Street in Hiram, Portage, Ohio. They owned their house without a mortgage. The household included Anna W. Trice, 41, a widow, born in Virginia (parents b. VA), a self-employed dressmaker, who could read and write, and who had had one child; her son, John G. Trice, 7, b. Ohio (father b. TN), in school; and a lodger, Lovell Wilson, white, widowed, 87, who did odd jobs. ^[7]

Jack’s widowed mother, Anna, sent her only child, Jack, to live with his uncle Lee M. Trice Trice-524 in Cleveland, so that he could attend a better high school.

In 1920, the Trice family lived at 3324 E. 128th Street, Cleveland, Ohio. The family included Lee Trice, 37, born in Tennessee (parents b. TN), a city garbage collector; his wife, Pearl, 28, b. Mississippi (parents b. MS); their three sons, all born in Ohio, Raymond, 9, in school; Chester, 5; and Nelson, 1; and a nephew, John Trice, 17, born in Ohio, (father b. TN; mother b. VA), a student. ^[8] Note: the home still stands. It is a two bedroom, woodframe bungalow, with just over 1000sf. The Lee Trice family lived there for at least twenty years.

John G. Trice, 20, and Cora May Starland, 19 were married on 27 July 1922 in Monroe, Monroe, Michigan. It was the first marriage for both parties. They both were residents of Ravenna, Ohio. Reuben Crosby, minister, officiated. Witnesses were Alice M. Crosby and Bertha Edwards, both of Monroe, Michigan. The groom, John, a mechanic, was born in 1902 in Ohio, the son of Greene Trice and Anna Wilcox. The bride, Cora Mae, a factory worker, was born in 1903, the daughter of Samuel Starland and Alberta Little. ^[9] NOTE: John was really 19, and Cora Mae was 15 when they married.

John G. Trice, a student at Iowa State College, died at 3:30pm on 8 October 1923 at Ames, Iowa. The informant to his death was his wife. Trice died of “traumatic peritonitis caused by injury in a football game” two days prior, on 6 October, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was 21 years, four months, and 21 days old. ^[10]

After his death, a note was found in his pocket, written on stationery from The Curtis Hotel, Minneapolis, which read

“My thoughts just before the first real college game of my life: The honor of my race, family & self is at stake. Everyone is expecting me to do big things. I will! My whole body and soul are to be thrown recklessly about the field tomorrow. Every time the ball is snapped, I will be trying to do more than my part. On all defensive plays I must break through the opponents' line and stop the play in their territory. Beware of mass interference. Fight low, with your eyes open and toward the play. Watch out for crossbucks and reverse end runs. Be on your toes every minute if you expect to make good. (Meeting 7:45) Jack” dated 5 October 1923.

John G. “Jack” Trice is buried with his parents at Fairview Cemetery, Hiram, Ohio. His parents were married on 19 April 1900 in Portage Co., Ohio. Jack’s father, Green Trice, 1864 TN-1909 OH, was the son of George Wallace Trice and Phyllis (1842-after 1880). Jack’s mother, Anna Wilcoxson was the daughter of George Wilcox and Martha Lee. After Jack’s death, his wife, Cora Mae (Starland) married Homer Lee Greene in 1926. They had at least three children. Cora Mae was born in Denver, Colorado in 1907, the daughter of Samuel W. Starland and Alberta R. Potter. Cora Mae, a great great grandmother, died, aged 86, in 1993, and is buried in Pomona, California. ^[11]

Jack Trice lettered in his freshman year at ISU, Fall 1922, Class of 1926. He is among nineteen others who lettered in football that season. ^[12]

The detailed Iowa State University, Ames yearbook account of the game, 6 Oct. 1923, contains this, the only mention of Jack Green: “… and it was this game that Jack Green gave his all for Ames.” ^[13]

Photo Collection: visit the link, and click on “Gallery” to view many photos of Jack Trice, including his high school football team picture; his college fraternity group portrait; two photos of the hundreds of ISU students in attendance to an outdoor memorial service for Trice, held on 9 Oct. 1923; and many more. ^[14]

Four thousand people attended Jack’s funeral. ISU refused to play football against Minnesota until 1989. In 1997, ISU renamed Cyclone Stadium as Jack Trice Stadium. They erected a bronze statue of Trice, reading the note he’d written before that fateful game in 1923. (FindAGrave)

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Trice)
2. ↑ Hazlitt.net “Concerning the Many Legends of the Cyclone Named Jack Trice” by Richard Johnson (https://hazlitt.net/longreads/concerning-many-legends-cyclone-named-jack-trice)
3. ↑ AAREG Fri, 01.17.1902 Jack Trice, Iowa Football Legend Born (https://aaregistry.org/story/jack-trice-isu-football-legend/)
4. ↑ espn.com ISU only 1-A school to honor African-American in Stadium name; 12 Feb. 2008, by Tim Griffin (https://www.espn.com/espn/blackhistory2008/news/story?id=3242390)
5. ↑ theundefeated.com Jack Trice’s life and football career were tragically cut short; by Branson Wright (https://theundefeated.com/features/jack-trice-life-and-football-career-were-tragically-cut-short/)
6. ↑ iowastatedaily.com Trice captured the hearts of yesterday’s students, Tracy Deutmeyer, 3 Feb. 1997
7. ↑ 1910 US Census, Hiram, Portage, Ohio (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/22412305:7884?ssrc=pt&tid=60809218&pid=46063575492)
8. ↑ 1920 US Census, Cuyahoga, Ohio (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/76402061:6061?ssrc=pt&tid=60809218&pid=46206939878)
9. ↑ "Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NQ94-55Z : 18 February 2021), John G. Trice and Cora May Starlard, 27 Jul 1922; citing Marriage, Monroe, Monroe, Michigan, , Citing Secretary of State, Department of Vital Records, Lansing; FHL microfilm 4032401.
10. ↑ "Iowa, Death Records, 1904-1951," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q248-8T59 : 8 November 2017), John G Trice, 08 Oct 1923, Ames, Story, Iowa, United States; citing certificate #85588, State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines; FamilySearch digital folder 101784596.
11. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #61818453
12. ↑ US, School Yearbooks, 1900-2016 (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/173622796:1265?ssrc=pt&tid=60809218&pid=46063575489)
13. ↑ US School Yearbooks, 1900-2016 (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/7075251:1265?ssrc=pt&tid=60809218&pid=46063575489)
14. ↑ Ancestry.com sourced family tree (https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/60809218/person/46063575489/facts)

See also:

• Jack Trice
• Wikidata: Item Q6115532, en:Wikipedia